Kolkata.London.Delhi.Operating,Finance,Investing.

The Orly Times. A Kolkata crossword. A story about a grandfather who bought an Orly kurta in 1996 and wore it to his grandson's wedding last year — looking pristine. We distributed it tucked inside morning newspapers across the neighbourhood. Watching it sit next to The Telegraph on the street, it just felt right.

Offline independent retail is essentially a services business. The stores we keep going back to are rarely the cheapest or the trendiest — they're the ones where the salesperson remembers your preferences, you feel genuinely welcomed, and there's a defined expectation of quality built over years. So we asked ourselves: how do we stay relevant to our customers between purchase occasions? This led us to hosting a Tarot Card Styling Event at our store.

"This isn't about looking good on social media. This is about helping you build your business," Kiran told me right before we started shooting. One of the most rewarding things my experience at Bombay Shaving Company has given me is a constellation of mentors I can reach out to for help. Kiran Shah is one such star whose astute business understanding always inspires me.

Members coming together to connect with each other, WITHOUT any push from the brand, is the real sign of community. A safe space is the foundation. The hardest part is influencing culture — most brands talk about it through rules or campaigns, but culture is what people do, not what you say.

My grandfather, born in a small village in Rajasthan, worked his way up from a salesboy in a pharma store to open an ethnic wear store in the heart of Kolkata. No offsites, no strategy decks. 10-hour workdays, 7 days a week, for 40 years straight. Showing up. Every day.

When I sat down with Shantanu telling him I'd decided to pursue the next chapter, we spoke about my body of work — "the collection of output produced by an individual throughout their career" — and how after everything is said and done, what eventually matters is how you made people feel when you were around.

The more I speak to people, the more I realise that many don't have support systems with outstanding mentors or get a chance to voice their opinions to their seniors. So when the team came up with a format where young professionals get to speak to CEOs about topics relevant to us — I was all for it. The Bridge. Launching today.

In February 2024, I was tasked with supporting Shanky to build out our hospitality business. By this time, The Postcard Hotel already had a stellar reputation. We figured that if we could place our kits there, the brand equity would open doors to many more. So I reached out to Kapil directly over LinkedIn — a timid attempt to start a conversation. His reply caught me by surprise: "No Challenges, Vidit. None at all."

Shantanu and I spoke. He was far more helpful than I expected. Gave me great advice. Then he asked me to stay on the call — went through his WhatsApp chats and immediately connected me to several incredible founders with warm intros. I. Was. Blown. Away. Eventually, I got the offer from BSC — a role designed to create future entrepreneurs. Life really does come full circle.

At the Barbershop, we're always drawn to founders who make you believe in the mission and make you laugh while pitching it. Prateek from Wanderlooms is one of those rare few. We backed him early. Then backed him again. Because when someone's willing to camp out in factories and hand-pick fabrics — you know they're built different.